Hey food lovers! We’re super excited to kick off our brand-new series where we share our date night adventures with all of you. Last night, my husband (Adrian) and I had the pleasure of dining at Belly Bistro in London recently. This delightful spot is new and serves up Filipino flavors with a splash of French and Japanese techniques talk about a delicious combo! We’re on a mission to visit different restaurants and give you our honest reviews. Want to see more? Check out our video on our socials for a closer look!
Our First Impression
As soon as you step into Belly Bistro, it’s all about clean, minimal decor vibes with just a hint of Filipino-ness that truly intrigues you. The red logo accents? Oh, they totally accentuate the overall aesthetics, making everything pop just right. Plus, the table setting was neatly arranged with flair adds such a lovely touch. And let’s not forget those delightful aromas wafting from the kitchen, instantly promising a dining experience to remember!
Warm Filipino Hospitality
When we arrived, we were welcomed by the friendliest staff. Adrian got there first, as usual, because I was, let’s say, fashionably late. But it worked out perfectly because Omar, the owner and head chef was catching up with Adrian, they are childhood friends. Who haven’t seen each other in a while. Meanwhile, our lovely waitress whose name I’m embarrassed to admit I can’t remember took our drinks order. Since I avoid alcohol for health reasons, she went out of her way to offer me coconut water, even though it wasn’t on the menu. I really appreciated that thoughtful gesture. The staff here is incredibly friendly and attentive, making for a truly delightful start to our evening.
Exploring the Belly Bistro Menu
Appetizers
The menu might not have been large, but every item sounded absolutely mouthwatering! We found ourselves wishing for a larger group so we could try more dishes. Our charming waitress took us through the menu, explaining each dish, and suggested we go for 2 starters and 2 mains.
So, for starters, we opted for the smoked trout kinilaw with coconut milk with Datu Puti white sugar cane vinegar, lime, coriander, and seasonal fruit. We also couldn’t resist the cured scallops “bicol express” with coconut cream, chili, and anchovy.
We kicked off with the smoked trout kinilaw with coconut milk, Datu Puti white sugar cane vinegar, lime, coriander, and seasonal fruit. Yum! It was very tasty, although I felt it lacked a bit of zing, and I couldn’t taste the coconut cream much. Later, we were told the trick was to mix them—who knew? Guess that just means we’ll have to plan another visit for a taste-test round two!
As for the cured scallops “bicol express”, these were also very tasty, but we found them quite subtle and missing the kick I was expecting from a Bicol express, which usually bursts with a ton of chilies!
On another note, we were sadly mistaken about the Cod Pandesal, turns out it wasn’t on the house, although the waitress made it sound otherwise. Despite this surprise on the bill, we did enjoy the cod pandesal, their version of a fillet-o-fish. The fish was wrapped in batter and fried to perfection, with the dill tartar and cheese pairing beautifully. The pandesal bun was soft without being too delicate to hold everything together. It’s a great dish, though I question its place as an appetizer, it feels more like a main or perhaps something suited for a lunch menu because of it’s size? Just putting this out there.
Main Courses
For mains, we dove straight into the Wagyu Picanha with Bistek Sauce and the Miso Roasted Cod Caldereta with Brown Butter, Miso, tomato, Red Pepper, Green Olive. Talk about a powerhouse duo! With french fries and house salad for the sides.
The Wagyu Picanha was cooked beautifully! But let’s chat about that Bistek sauce—it was a bit too salty for my liking. I was hoping for a more balanced flavour, it did come with a lime on the side, we were not instructed to squeeze it. I squeezed the lime over to balance things out nicely.
And as for the Miso Roasted Cod Caldereta, wow, it was so vibrant! The fish was cooked perfectly for me, and while I don’t want to be overly critical since they are still new, the Caldereta aspect didn’t really shine through for me. Maybe the blended peppers overpowered the dish, but overall, it was delicious!Press ⌘↵ to write more, or space to tell Blaze what to write
I want to point out that they didn’t have rice when we went so we dipped our chips in the sauces.
Desserts: Sweet Endings
Oh, and let’s not forget dessert! We rounded off our meal with the special of the day: Ube Tramisu and the Buko “crumble” Pie. Even though we were full at this point, we couldn’t resist these sweet delights.
The Ube Tiramisu was simply delicious; the sponge was moist, and the ube cream hit just the right balance and not too sweet. Although I anticipated a hint of coffee or liqueur, I truly enjoyed every bite but I don’t think it was added? Either way I loved it!
As for the Buko “crumble” Pie, it was another dessert delight. It was well balanced and just the right level of sweetness. The crust was soft, not as crumbly as I thought it would be, and personally, I’d love a bit more coconut filling. Still, as a whole, it was a scrumptious treat!
Drinks
The Melon Sour and the classic Old Fashioned were equally fantastic! Belly has some selections of cocktails, wines, and on tap beers. It’s not a overwhelmingly huge selections but enough to satisfy your needs.
Price Points
Let’s not forgot the prices, we thought it was reasonable for London prices for drinks and food.
The starters ranges from £9-£14 – The mains ranges from £22-£33 – The sides ranges from £5-£7 – The dessert ranges from £9-£10.
For the drinks, The cocktails ranges from £9-£11 – On tap beers is £6 – Mockatials are £6 & £7 – Soft drinks are £3.25-£3.50.
Conclusion: Last thoughts
We had a great dining experience at Belly Bistro London. Adrian and I are so excited to share our first impressions of this new Filipino fusion restaurant in London. First off, the staff was incredibly friendly and attentive, tmaking us feel welcomed from the moment we set foot inside. They truly set the stage for what would turn into a delightful evening.
Now, let’s talk about the food—delicious! Each dish was thoughtfully crafted, though I’d personally love to see them lean a bit more into those rich Filipino flavours we all adore. I understand that they want to market to a wide audience. Don’t get me wrong, as a chef who cooks traditional Filipino cuisine, I really appreciate their modern takes. I’m not a purist as many might think; I absolutely love it when Filipino flavours shine through, even with the infusion of European or other Asian cooking techniques. That’s truly a craft in itself, balancing those flavours and techniques.
I also want to mention, the vibes were awesome and the music playlist was just perfect! It was this lovely mix of Filipino and Western tunes that totally set the mood for a fun and relaxed evening. We were vibing with every track!
Watch our mini video here
We had such a wonderful time, and you know as a foodie adventurer, it’s the kind of place you just want to shout about and also support my fellow Filipino. Can’t wait to share more of our culinary journeys with you soon!
Where shall we go next for our date night? Comment below for recommendations.
For more reviews check out my blog